Roy Vinson Thomas

Roy Vinson Thomas Description

Roy Vinson Thomas (b. 1946)

Born in 1946 in Houston, Roy Vinson Thomas grew up in Clinton Park where he attended Clinton Park Elementary, E.O. Smith Jr. High School, and graduated from Phyllis Wheatley Senior High School in 1965. From 1965-1970, Thomas studied art at Texas Southern University, studying under Dr. John Baggers, Carroll Simms, Theresa Allen, and Athena Watson, and earned a B.A. in Art Education. While serving on his tour of duty in U.S. Army from 1970-72, Thomas attended classes at the University of Arizona, and returned to Houston to complete his M.A. in Education (Guidance and Counseling) from TSU in 1974. Upon graduation, Thomas was employed by the Texas Commission on the Arts & Humanities to launch “Artists in Schools” Program in Waco Independent School District and Galena Park Independent School District in 1974-75, landing him a job as a High School Art Educator in Galena Park Independent School District for the over forty years, before retiring in 2016. During this time, Thomas continued with his pursuit of art and studied painting and drawing at the University of Houston Clear Lake from 1979-1981. Since this time, he has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States and internationally, including exhibitions in Brazil, Nigeria, Atlanta, Tucson, and throughout Texas in Austin, Beaumont, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Wichita Falls among others.

In reflecting upon his time at Texas Southern University, Thomas states, “…both Dr. John T. Biggers and Mr. Simms were demanding teachers. They taught technique; Biggers would require a personal solution; Simms would require a simple solution.” He also recalls that his classmates, which included artists Kermit Oliver, Charles Criner, and Henry Wilson, were quite competitive.

Several of Thomas’ student works completed during his time at Texas Southern University are published in the 1978 book Black Art in Houston by John Biggers, Carroll Simms, and John Edward Weems published by Texas A&M University Press.

Regarding his output, Thomas considers himself “an emerging newcomer artist,” only in the sense that he doesn’t produce as many works in a given year as some of his established counterparts since he teaches public school, granting him limited time during the academic year to paint. Also, he works in a style which is both expressionistic and realistic style, which can be time consuming; thus, there are fewer of his works to submit to shows. However, his mature style finds success in most juried competitions. Since he began his career as an artist, Thomas’s painting evolved to figurative forms, sculpture in nature. After thousands of sketches, he doesn’t use models; he draws directly on the canvas or paper from memory. His colors are more toned down than the earlier palette he used of raw color. In his work, he often uses concentric lines to move the viewer through his work.

Today, Thomas continues to reside in Houston and frequently participates at group and alumni exhibitions at Texas Southern University, never forgetting those great teachers from his past who guided and shaped his passion for art. Throughout his career, Thomas’s professional affiliations include: Organization of Black Artists (OBA), National Art Education Association, Classroom Teacher Association, Minority Artists Coalition of Houston, Texas Southern Art Alumni Association, National Congress of Artists, and Texas Art Education Association among others.

• 1991 Forerunners and Newcomers: Houston’s African American Artists in the Lead - Revisited, curated by Dr. Sarah A. Trotty, sponsored by the Southeast Texas Arts Council, Mobile Foundation, Golden Triangle Chapter of the Links, Inc., Texas Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the City of Beaumont, Beaumont, TX

• 1989 Forerunners and Newcomers: Houston’s Leading African American Artists, sponsored by Cultural Arts Council of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, TX